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Summary

Steel pylon standing in the Japanese garden below the house, which formed part of a mechanism for starting a generator for producing electricity.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ELECTRICITY PYLON (Built, XX - 1901 AD to 2000 AD)

Full description

Sharpe, H. M., 1987, Castle in the air (Un-published). SDV365204.

Story of the renovation of the castle by the Sharpes between 1975 and 1986. Reeve Castle was built in neo-Gothic style in 1900 by William Carter-Pedler and includes some innovative features.
In the Japanese garden below the house is a 30ft steel tower from which a large weight was suspended. This powered a 'Spencer' engine which mixed together petrol and water to produce gas which was piped to the house through a 3in iron pipe. The weight was wound up by a hand winch in the underground engine room.
The Japanese garden was formed within the quarry which provided the stone to build the hoiuse. The Quarrying was carefully managed to create a terraced garden with pools, bridge and cherry trees.

GetMapping, 2010, GetMapping 2010 aerial photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV351585.

Watts, M., May 2008, Historic Building Recording of a Steel Pylon at Reeve Castle, Bow, Devon. (Report - Survey). SDV349879.

Steel pylon standing in an artificial quarry, created as part of a Japanese garden at Reeve Castle in the early 20th century. The pylon formed part of a mechanism for starting a generator for producing electricity. The pylon contained a weight and pulley connected to the boiler engine; when the weight was dropped the engine was started. The mechanism is now incomplete and the original generator has not survived although the circular generator room remains below the terrace to the south of the castle. A footbridge provided access to the upper part of the pylon. The system is an unusual, possibly unique, survival of late Victorian technical ingenuity for producing power. See report for more information.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV5940 - Historic Building Recording of a Steel Pylon at Reeve Castle, Bow, Devon

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